Exercise and TOM: Just Do It!
 

TOM just started this morning. I was a bit hesitant to do my 60min. planned jog today, particularly because of TOM and because I did a 60min. jog yesterday, so I thought I'd be sore as normal. In short, I was having a rough time getting out the door.

I'm glad I went. I don't know if anyone else has noticed this:

My joints felt extra fresh, my breathing was extra calm, the first 30 minutes was an absolute breeze. It was an amazing run. This is a BIG guess, but, you know how they say the cramping you experience during your period mimic those you experience during the birthing process? That cramps, in a way, prepare one for childbirth? The cramps are accompanied by endorphins produced by the body this time of the month AND then you have the endorphins that come from the exercise itself.

All the endorphins made me feel like I was floating today instead of running. So, my advice is to ALWAYS exercise during your period - particularly in the first few hours it begins.

One more thing: normally my period starts off spotty and I have to wait a good 7-8 hours for it to really get going and then I have bad bad cramps. After the 60 minutes, my period was in full swing and the cramps have been super minimal. I really shook everything lose - maybe similar to pregnant women who engage in brisk walking to speed up their due date.

It's interesting that you posted this. I thought it was coincidental, but ever since I've lost weight & started exercising regularly, the symptoms of my period have not been as bad as they were (hope I'm not jinxing myself by posting this :) ).

My daughter played soccer through her freshman year of high school (then she developed asthma and quit). But when she was playing soccer her freshman year (h.s. was much, much more intense in practice than previous years) she lost all symptoms of uncomfortableness from her period. She used to throw up and have horrible cramps . . . all of that disappeared. It returned after she quit and became less active.

I'm a big believer in moving/exercising when you have your period. You don't want to and don't feel like it but it's so worth in because it just helps immensely. Yeah and ibuprofen every 5 hours doesn't hurt either. heh

It's my understanding that you're not suppose to do inverted poses in yoga when you have your period.

No inverted yoga poses??? What?

On one of the yoga dvds I have (Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss, Suzanne Deason) it says you're not suppose to do any of the inverted (upside down) poses during menses.

Not sure why . . .

I get horrible cramps but since exercising they aren't as bad and if I do have cramps I find exercising takes them away :)

My lovely TOM started Tuesday this week, I've worked out everyday this week (aside from today, hurt my leg during zumba workout yesterday) and I've noticed my bloating/pain hasn't been near as bad this time at all. Exercise really does help when you are on your period, I'm just usually too lazy to move during that time. I've been on a real good exercise kick the past two weeks though.

I am just starting to exercise, but I have always heard that exercising while on TOM does help...whatever. The only blessing I have about my TOM, is that my cycles have been pretty irregular (diet and weight I guess) that I have cramps 1-2 before I start, and maybe 1-2 at the beginning. So the before ones helped tell me when I was going to start...weird but helpful with my erratic cycle.

P.S.-With the yoga thing? Most say the plausible reasons why one shouldn't do yoga will having TOM. Is because doing inversions, especially on the heavier flow days, could cause stronger cramps and heavier flow (as well as additional uncomfortableness) ...so some do not do it during that time entirely, and others avoid inversions while on the heaviest days, but then continue on other days. There are some other reasons, but most yogis and science do not support those thoughts...but since yoga is about calm and serenity...additional uncomfortableness does not match that mind set, I probably would try some other exercise while having TOM.

You know, I hadn't thought about how it might have affected my period, but now that you mention it, I also don't experience the "spotty" point of my period anymore. It just starts.

I was going to add that my period week is usually the one week that I really want to go to the gym and exercise. I don't know what it is - maybe the endorphins, like you mentioned - but that is usually the one week you can count on my to consistently make it to the gym (unless I'm overtaken by a migraine).

Because your lower abdomen muscles are already strained from TOM, so if you do certain poses you run a higher risk of injuring yourself. The same goes for certain types of crunches/ab work. That portion of your body is just more susceptible to injury at TOM, so you should always be careful.